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| TSA erred in delaying fallen MarineÂ’s escorts |
| 2006-06-28 |
| OCEANSIDE, Calif. – It seems “miscommunication” is to blame for last week’s security mix-up that delayed a trio of leathernecks escorting the body of a fallen Marine through the Philadelphia airport. The sergeant and two corporals were escorting the body of Sgt. Lea R. Mills, who was, like them, a member of the Camp Pendleton-based 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, to Mills’ family in Gulfport, Miss., on May 3 when they were taken over to “secondary” screening at the Philadelphia International Airport. It was there where the Marines were taken to a nearby room by Transportation Security Administration agents and told to remove their blue dress coat, belt and shoes. According to a TSA official, military escorts usually follow a different set of screening procedures. “They did not follow these procedures,” said Darrin Kayser, a TSA spokesman in Northern Virginia, told Marine Corps Times on May 8. “I think in this instance, there was definitely some miscommunication,” Kayser added. According to Kayser, TSA has special screening guidelines in place for service members who are accompanying the bodies of fallen service members to their families for burial. “These guidelines reflect the agency's utmost respect for those who have lost their lives in service to this country, their families, and those who bring them home with honor,” TSA officials said in a statement provided by Kayser. “We sincerely regret any inconvenience that Marines from the 1st [Marine] Division experienced during the screening process at Philadelphia International Airport,” the statement said. “We take their concerns very seriously and have communicated directly with Marine Corps leadership.” Kayser said that provisions are intended to help smooth the process. “It is a fairly regular occurrence, unfortunately, that we have soldiers coming through with remains. There is a process in place that they should follow.” It’s likely the three escorts, who had come from their Camp Pendleton base to accompany the casket from Dover Air Force Base, Del., weren’t aware of the special rules. The Marines had gone through the security line to reach their flight that would take them to Houston and then onto Gulfport, and they wanted to ensure that Mills’ body was properly placed on the airplane, said Sgt. John Stock, speaking by phone on May 5. Stock, who was accompanied by Cpls. Aaron Bigalk and Jason Schadeburg, all wearing their dress uniforms, had expected that they would zip through the screening process. But, they were stopped by several TSA agents, who instructed each Marine to remove their dress blue uniform blouse, belt and black dress shoes before scanning them with a metal detector. The agents then scanned the Marines with hand-held detecting wands. Then, they were taken to a nearby room, where TSA workers patted them down. “All of us. We all got searched,” Stock said. Under TSA’s rules, military escorts “are screened at a separate checkpoint,” Kayser said, adding that he would not specify the security procedures. The agency’s procedures have been in place for some time and are known to the military services and federal security officers at the airports, Kayser said. “We have a federal security director at the airport who will (liaison) with the military,” he added. “For escorts who stay with a casket, TSA sends security officers to their location for screening and does not require those escorts to go through the regular passenger checkpoint,” the statement said. “If escorts elect to travel through the regular checkpoint, we conduct our usual screening, sensitive to any special needs that may be presented.” Miss-communication my ass. Complete idiots is more my guess. |
| Posted by:Deacon Blues |
| #18 49 Pan: I seriously doubt better pay would get "better workers." This is all about being P.C. and NOT using profiling for screening. Good gawd you can't seriously think if they suddenly raised the pay to $80,000/year that the 80 year old grannies would stop being groped. In fact, I bet they're better paid than the contractors before (who were paid by airlines) if you include gov't benefits. It's all in the policies (Mineta's shop), rules and regulations (Congress' shop) they have to follow. PLUS, not be non-P.C. and actually use common sense to just search Islamic passengers as POTENTIAL jihadis. |
| Posted by: BA 2006-06-28 22:05 |
| #17 At the risk of sounding like a Democrat, The TSA personnel seem like the ones who couldn't pass the test for the USPS. They may have some effective personnel hiding behind a curtain somewhere, but I doubt it. I also doubt they have made flight one iota safer. The folks on flight 93 did that. But they do get to act like little Hitlers ordering 80 year old female terrorist suspects to take off their shoes and prepare for the wand inspection. Further, Congress does not fund the TSA, I do. And I'm getting ripped off by this make work agency that won't screen the obvious prime suspects but will harrass innocent Americans. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-06-28 20:33 |
| #16 I travel about every other week and always show my DOD ID card at screening. Usually I get thanked for my service and moved through quickly. These idiots, like the ones mentioned from buzzard bay, should be removed. Lets not sound like the Dems who argue that if one soldier screws up then the whole Army is bad. TSA has a lot of folks and the pay sucks. This sets them up for failure and our congress is who funds them. Congress needs to increase saleries to attract better quality workers. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2006-06-28 20:07 |
| #15 TSA inspectors Jawad Sahfluhjari, Jamal Jihadi, and Allan Kumestami have issued verbal, non-English apologies, to TSA supervisor Hugo Menendez. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-06-28 19:38 |
| #14 "Mistakes happen it's what happens next that separates the professionals from the slobs." "Slobs"? These are no ordinary slobs: these are Philadelphia International Airport security workers. A lady friend of mine, arriving at PHL on a visit, called them "a bunch of apes trained to feel people up." This is Philadelphia, where an investigation once found that 18 of the airport's security workers were convicted felons. "Slobs" ain't the half of it... |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2006-06-28 18:48 |
| #13 i hope they got a good marine as chewing at least out of this |
| Posted by: Greamp Elmavinter1163 2006-06-28 18:11 |
| #12 My guess is that these "screeners" are dyed in the wool Democrats. The reason we have this multi-culti bullshit screening and not screening based on profiles. This suituation is to be laid at the feet of the Multi-cilti Dems and RINOS. No Service member who can produce a military ID should be impeeded by anyone working for the TSA or as a "screener". We are in a WAR. These stupid bastards just don't get it. I am totally fed up with this horse crap. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2006-06-28 18:02 |
| #11 Miscommunication? Then why didn't someone from from TSA quietly direct The escorts to the proper check point? Mistakes happen it's what happens next that separates the professionals from the slobs. My take is these TSA idiots are more suited to pissing off the American public than maintaining airport security. |
| Posted by: GK 2006-06-28 16:35 |
| #10 TSA is where all the kids from FFA went to work. And I don't mean Farmers. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-06-28 16:10 |
| #9 I'd bet the TSA dolts who did this took great pleasure in asserting their unlimited authority to harrass the Marines. Miscommunication my *ss. I've seen some of that re: civilians too .... |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-06-28 15:28 |
| #8 You know when I was in Korea and we came into Kimpo there was a separate tranfer area manned by American uniformed military. They took care of customs, checks, and screening. Maybe its time to do the same at some major airports in the states as well. |
| Posted by: Glomble Ulinetch8608 2006-06-28 15:07 |
| #7 Mineta's No profiling rules ecourage Blind Stupidity. I'd bet the TSA dolts who did this took great pleasure in asserting their unlimited authority to harrass the Marines. Miscommunication my *ss. |
| Posted by: Inspector Clueso 2006-06-28 14:57 |
| #6 So, who got fired? Let me guess...nobody. The worker bees were just following orders set by the supervisors and managers. |
| Posted by: gromky 2006-06-28 14:31 |
| #5 In Philly? Are you surprised? Friggin moonbats. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2006-06-28 14:22 |
| #4 Words fail. When I flew out of San Diego Sunday morning, there was a problem in the security line. An elderly lady tried to retrieve her purse after it started throught he scanner and after the situation had escalated wound up being led off in handcuffs. Had she been a Marine, perhaps the TSA would have shot her. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-06-28 13:55 |
| #3 Kind of a metaphor for the whole war, though: our military people risk their lives, while the civilian officials do stupid shit and get in the way. |
| Posted by: Dave D. 2006-06-28 13:40 |
| #2 Norm Mineta. The gift that keeps on giving... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2006-06-28 12:50 |
| #1 How NOT to win friends and influence people. |
| Posted by: Xbalanke 2006-06-28 12:48 |